


Stage Five

by emrys (livingshitpost)



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: (i edited it a lil to include it..), ?? i spent some time thinking abt my Boy, A Found Memento, Anduin Wrynn needs a hug, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Character Death, Bittersweet, Bittersweet Ending, Canonical Character Death, Dealing With Loss, Death, Draenei, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everything Hurts, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, Family Loss, Father-Son Relationship, Freeform, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Grieving Anduin Wrynn, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, Lion's Rest - Freeform, Loss, Loss of Parent(s), Not Beta Read, Parental Death - Freeform, Parental Loss - Freeform, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Relationships, Post-A Found Memento, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, World of Warcraft: Legion, World of Warcraft: Legion Spoilers, also right after posting this i did that one quest w the compass, and? it was very sad.., anduin is stressed, anduin is trans btw. it might not be mentioned but he is, anduin really does love that compass ok, bc more ppl died there than just varian. let's be realistic, dealing with death, dealing with grief, genn was gonna be in this but, i can barely write any wow characters let's focus on one at a time, i'm just gonna keep adding more tags and nobody can sto pme aljsdflajsdl, just.. hold him.. keep him saf, moody white men, ok NOW i'm done. thanks, ok i think i'm done thanks, ok now i'm done adding tags. thaks, too many tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 12:17:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12410163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livingshitpost/pseuds/emrys
Summary: It had been a year.





	Stage Five

It had been a year. Anduin hadn't left the castle much, being busy with his coronation, new responsibilities as king, and the invasion of the Legion; not to mention the stress of Illidan bringing Argus dangerously close to Azeroth with no warning. 

But it had been a year. 

The air hung thick with memories and pain, and with pity for the young king. Royal advisors and servants who passed him in the hallways either avoided his gaze or smiled sadly at him, with some even offering their condolences. He understood. He appreciated it, he really did, but it made him feel small. It reminded him of his mother's death when he was very young, which certainly didn't help. 

Every meeting that could have been scheduled that day had been either moved up or postponed, leaving him to have a day for himself. A moment of respite. That was all he wanted, and it was all he had. He clutched the compass that had been returned to him by a hero fighting in the Broken Isles, clicking and playing with the clasp as he had before he'd given it to his father.

Lion's Rest was still calm and quiet, as it had been since the majority of Varian's ashes and his armor had been brought to rest there, but it was crowded with people coming to honor the fallen. Parents and spouses and children, regardless of age, had gathered there, coming and going. There was no formal ceremony. Only people and their memories.

Anduin almost smiled when his subconscious nagged that he, too, was one of the children come to honor a parent, but it was short lived. He sighed. His fingers traced the letters carved into the marble slabs. 

_The son of Stormwind lies here. Broken in two by his weakness, he lived by the sword. Forged together again, the greatest king the kingdoms of Lordearon have ever seen. He led the might of the Alliance with pride. He lives forever in our very hearts._

His vision blurred. 

_Rest in Peace, O Son of Stormwind._

Anduin's hands had begun to shake. He breathed deeply, his forehead pressing against the cool stone. 

There was a hand on his shoulder. 

Had he had any energy, he might have lashed out. He might have grown angry and demanded to know who  _dared_ to touch him, but he didn't. Instead, he stood up straight, doing his best to swallow the lump in his throat, and turned to face the hand's owner. 

"My apologies, your Majesty," he said sheepishly, pulling his hand back, "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I did not mean to-"

"It's fine," Anduin interrupted. "Thank you." He quickly rubbed his eyes and looked out over the small ocean of people in mourning. 

"I haven't left the castle in some time," he said. "It's nice to see everyone, even if we're met up in grief. It's . . ." 

"Reassuring?"

"In a way, yes."

The man beside him smiled. "The guilt-encrusted relief of knowing that you are not alone in your suffering. I know the feeling all too well. I felt the same way after my husband was killed when the Exodar crashed."

"I'm sorry," Anduin muttered. 

The draenei shrugged. "Don't be. There is nothing that you could have done to prevent it. And I am far from being the only one who lost family when we landed here."

"My condolences, then."

"Thank you. And mine to you."

"Thanks."

The two stood for a moment in silence. Birds chirped in the trees. Small clouds floated lazily through the sky. 

The air was still thick with memories and pain, but the young king was finding it a bit easier to breathe.


End file.
